Heartless Hunter Book #1 By Kristen Ciccarelli Book Review

Disclosure – As an amazon associate I earn a commission for any items purchased through the affiliate links below. Thank you for supporting my book blog!

Summary: 

A steamy game of cat and mouse between witch and witch-hunter, played out against a backdrop of opulence, secrets, and bloody history.

On the night Rune’s life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from powerful rulers to outcasts ruthlessly hunted due to their waning magic, and Rune must hide what she is.

Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe - a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution - who she can't help but find herself falling for.

Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?

Kristen Ciccarelli’s Heartless Hunter is the thrilling start to a romantic fantasy duology where the only thing more treacherous than being a witch...is falling in love.

Genre: Romantic Fantasy, Teen and Young Adult Fantasy Romance

Rating: ★★★★

​My Thoughts:

This book was a page-turner! And I am anxiously awaiting book #2 so I can have some closure to the ending of this book! This was my first time reading a book by Kristen Ciccarelli and I am a fan. I gave this book a 4 star rating on my Goodreads account.

The gorgeous writing highlights the ominous backdrop the story is set in. If this were a show or movie, there would be several eerie music motif moments. As well as, many toe-curling tension filled scenes between the main characters.  There is a steamy undercurrent that is intricately woven throughout each chapter coupled with high-stakes intrigue.  

The cat and mouse game that Gideon and the Crimson Moth played throughout the book had me instantly hooked. I was emotionally invested from the first couple of chapters. 

The characters were easily likable and the protagonists' strong chemistry kept this book interesting throughout the entire book. I am not always in the 'fans of the enemies-to-lovers trope' camp, but this was a delectable enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance that I thoroughly enjoyed. 

The strong female lead character, Rune, spends her time in high stakes situations trying to save witches from the clutches of the republic. She lives with a lot of guilt that Rune is constantly trying to compensate for. The steady pace of this plotline made it easy to follow while still weaving a complex plot.  

Gideon's character development was heart warming. While he is portrayed as a dark, ruthless witch hunter (and the older brother of her best friend, Alex), his character grows on me. He went through a lot before becoming a witch hunter and there is more depth to him other than being the handsome Gideon Sharpe witch hunter extraordinaire. He, too, lives guilt and shame that he tries to compensate for throughout the book.

The slow-burn romance irresistible forbidden love interest between Rune and Gideon was predictable, but I loved it. The witch hunter falls for the witch... while Gideon's brother is also in love with Rune. The love triangle gave a fresh twist to this romantic fantasy. It was an easy storyline to get pulled into. The final chapters are where the magic happens in this cutthroat world of forbidden magic. There may be some audible gasps or jaw-dropping reactions. 

The Heartless Hunter is a new favorite of mine. I got my copy as my February Book of the Month Club choice, and it did not disappoint. It was one the best new fantasy books of February that I read. I would classify it as an addictive romantic fantasy series. I started and finished this book in one day. The complex plot and thrilling romance kept the book exciting with thought-provoking themes. In most books, I can guess the plot twist pretty quickly, but this one took longer for me to unravel.  

I am excited and anxiously awaiting book #2 so I can continue following Rune and Gideon's story.